Saying goodbye to The Kid (1954-2012)
Baseball mourns the loss of Gary Carter, who helped the Mets to the 1986 title and was inducted in the Hall of Fame after a 19-year career with the Expos, Mets, Giants and Dodgers. “The Kid” passed away peacefully on Feb. 16, 2012, at the age of 57 in his home state of Florida after a courageous battle with brain cancer.
“Driven by a remarkable enthusiasm for the game, Gary Carter became one of the elite catchers of all-time,” Commissioner Bud Selig said. “‘The Kid’ was an 11-time All-Star and a durable, consistent slugger for the Montreal Expos and the New York Mets, and he ranks among the most beloved players in the history of both of those franchises. . . . I extend my deepest condolences to Gary’s wife Sandy, their daughters Christy and Kimmy, their son D.J., their grandchildren, his friends and his many fans.”
Major League Baseball invites fans to please leave any condolences and memories of Gary in this guestbook blog’s comments.
Remembering Gary Carter 
Mr. Carter,
To this day, meeting you at an autograph signing when I was about eight or nine years old is still one of my most cherished childhood memories. Twenty years later, I’m still a big Mets fan and an even bigger baseball fan. I remember that day like it was yesterday, and it’s a big part of what’s made me grow to appreciate the game and those who play it the way it’s meant to be played. Keep fighting like you always have.
Hello Gary: My parents & I follow your foot steps since the Montreal Expos, we saw that you were best catcher the New York Mets were looking for to win a W.S. The Mets did it in 1986. But I remember what Gary Cater said ” All I want is to win a World Series Ring” I heard this on T.V. Sportreports. I always remember the 86 Mets. My parents & I are always praying for you & family. Always A Met Fan, Mary
Gary,
Be strong. Stay positive. Live life now as you always played the game – never give up. Your fans keep you in their thoughts and prayers.
Maria
Dear Mr. Gary Carter,
I don’t know know if you’ll even read this but here goes. I have been a Mets fan all my life (and proud of it) through good or bad. My dad always told me stories about you as I was a kid and you exemplify qualities that not only make an extraordinary hall of fame athlete but also a really good person. You try your hardest win or lose and you do the one thing most players nowadays don’t do. You play the game of baseball because it’s what you love to do not because you care about what’s in it for you. You are the living embodiment of the phrase “if you love what you’re doing you haven’t worked a day in your life.” (even though you have worked more than any other ballplayer in your era) You have the biggest heart of any person I have ever known. I know you will overcome this illness just as you overcame the Red Sox in 86. I look forward to seeing/hearing you fully healed and up and about.
Get Well Soon,
Eitan Richter
I remember standing in line at the mall in Paramus just to meet you for 2 minutes with my friend – you were so gracious, signing autographs. I have been a Mets fan my entire life, and you have been my favorite player, so classy and tough at the same time. We love you, Gary, be strong, and we are all praying for you – you will beat this! All the best! Love, Jean W., Wayne, NJ
Gary
I’ve been a Mets fan since I was little, but you are my favorite ever! I had your poster on my wall in college, during the 85-86 season, and I went to school near Boston! Mets fans everywhere love you!
I wish you the best and fastest recovery ever!
Marianne
Dear Mr Cater: Thank you for the joy you have given me. I heard your speech in Williamsport, PA during the Little League contest many years ago. You were an inspriation then and you are still an inspiration now. Hurry up and get well so we can see you at an old timers game!
Regards
Bob Spadafora
Thanks for bringing some happiness into our lives. Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery.
To the best catcher in Mets history,
My wife (a cancer survivor) and I want to wish wish you the best in your fight against this horrible disease. If my wife can beat it , you can. Get well soon and thanks for all of the great memories we will never forget.
The Sapersteins from Staten Island
Gary, you were my childhood Mets hero and gave me so many wonderful memories.
If anyone can beat this, it’s The Kid.
Gary Carter continues to be in my thoughts. God bless you.
Gary,
I will always remember the famous 1986 world series Mets and the joy it brought to me & you are still inspiration to all Met Fans near and far away. All my prayers goes out to you…be strong and remember to cast all your anxiety unto the lord because he cares for you.
God Bless,
Margie M Verity
Garry,
I have been a Met fan as long as the Mets have been around 1962.I Don’t have many
Hero’s.I watched you play on Montreal and the Mets.I saw how you played and what kind of man you are.The game was better because of you.I am praying for you.
AJ.Hulbert
Dear Gary: Sorry to be so informal but you are such an endearing man it is hard not to be. Just wanted to wish to the best treatment, pain free days and only the most speedy recovery possible. I will never forget the spirit you gave to all the Mets fans. we adore you!
Dear Mr.Carter
I may not have around for the time you played professionally, but hearing stories from my dad as a kid, and finally being able to see what you’ve done via interviews, footage, and the type of person you are, you easily became my favorite Met! Your passion for the game, your smart, and great mind of the game, along with loads of talent is what helped the Mets win the 86 world series championship. I would always ask my dad about you, and he would tell me in great length, the type of player you were. A Great one. A world class player, a world class manager, and a world class person. Me, My dad and the rest of the Mets fanbase wish you well, we are ALL behind you, praying for you, and pushing for you.
God Bless, and God Speed.
Johnluke Chaparro
Gary,
Long time Yankee fan here who despite that, enjoyed watching you play and recognizes your contribution to NY Baseball. We rooted for you then – we are rooting for you now.
Blessed Mother – Intercede on behalf of all the faithful as we pray to our Lord for His Blessing upon Gary and his family.
JD
Hey Gary – Best of luck to you – my family send you nothing but good energy and prayers that you will get better quickly! All the best from a true and thankful fan from 1986!
Gary – wishing you all the best. Hang in there
You were part of a great team that brought so much happiness to New York and a lot of wonderful memories and good times to some college kids from St. Joseph’s College. Fight kid fight, I know you can do it. God Bless you and we are praying for you. The Thomas Family
Gary and family
Stay strong, you are in my thoughts and prayers…
your in our prays my uncle mike loved you every day i came home from work late night he was waiting for me to tell me how you and the mets did god bless you and yours god bless you
Gary,
Thanks for making us proud to be Mets fans back in 1986. You are a true champion and you and my family are in my prayers. Get well soon!
Bill
Gary,
As you lifted up the Mets may this prayer to St. Jude lift you up. Pray to St. Jude and your prayers will be answered.
Most holy Apostle, St. Jude, friend of Jesus, I place myself in your care at this difficult time. Pray for me; help me know that I need not face my troubles alone. Please join me in my need, asking God to send me consolation in my sorrow, courage in my fear, and healing in the midst of my suffering. Ask our loving God to fill me with the grace to accept whatever may lie ahead for me and my loved ones, and to strengthen my faith in God’s healing power. Thank you, St. Jude, for the promise of hope you hold out to all who believe, and inspire me to give this gift of hope to others as it has been given to me. Amen.
All of New York is pulling for you Gary, including my whole family, lifetime Met fans. Be sure to remember a positive outlook is as important as the treatment. That’s what pulled my daughter through in her fight against lymphoma. Knowing how positive you have always been, there is no doubt you will beat this. Best of luck. You are in our prayers.
Mr. Carter, as a Cardinals fan, I suffered when you tormented my team during the 80s. I really hated seeing you at bat in those East Division match-ups because I knew you could always hurt us with a big hit. But I have always respected you as a player and as a person. Here’s to a full recovery, sir. God bless you and your family.
Mr. Gary Carter i wish you nothing but the best my brother. I am a 39 year old die hard mets fan. I used to watch you play and you inspired me to want to be a back catcher when I played little league baseball. I wish you a great and healthy recovery
Dear Mr. Carter (Kid)
I just want you to know that you are an inspiration to many of us as one of the true “Class Act” players that ever played the game. Hurt or healthy, you always gave it your all. Well us fans now give you our all in our thoughts and prayers that you overcome this ordeal and may God heal you and keep you Well.
Best wishes to you and your family,
Joe B
Your Met Fan
DEAR GARY CARTER
MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU! A GREAT CATCHER AND GREAT HUMAN BEING!
I PRAY THAT OUR LORD GRANT YOU HIS HEALING POWERS,REGARDING YOUR SITUATION. THE TREATMENT OF THIS DISEASE HAS COME A LONG WAY. I LOST MY DEAR WIFE TO LUNG CANCER IN 1992, AT THE AGE OF 47.
ONCE AGAIN MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
ALL THE BEST
FRANK MAZZARISI
You were the heart and soul of a Mets team the never quit. And I know you are bringing that same attitude to your new fight.
You and Keith (and Mr. Cashen) brought the Mets back to respectibility. Thank you! And all the best.
Gary,
I was a teenager and had season tickets sitting behind home plate at old Jarry Stadium in Montreal, My seat was right next to Sandra and your daughters. I followed your career over the years and was always marvelled at your positive attitude. As you are going through hard times, please remember all the friendship, love and support that Montrealers had for you. May those positive vibes be with you now that you and your family need them. Can’t wait to see you on tv giving your first interview when this is all over. Get well, stay positive, good health and long life to you. Thank you for all those years at Jarry park.
Bob
Dear Mr. Carter,
I was born in 1963. I’ve been a Mets fan since 1965. My father was one of the first on our block to afford a color TV. One Sunday afternoon, he had me in his lap and I was crying. He got to the point on the dial where you had to flip your hand to turn the channel dial. That station was WOR-TV, channel 9, and Ralph Kiner was calling a Mets game. I stopped crying when the Mets came on. He changed the channel and I started crying again. Well, back it went to the Mets and I haven’t looked back since. I was 6 years old in ’69. I remember ’86 like it was yesterday! “Ya gotta believe” you will come thru this fine. We’re all here for you, “Kid”. Take good care, please- and God bless you, Mr. Carter!
Hello Gary.
There are probably a lot of things I could and should say, but what I will say is, I wish you the best and hope for a speedy and healthy recovery. I had just started watching the Mets several years before we got you and I distinctly remember telling a friend that you were a terrific catcher. Your movements behind the plate absoluely impressed me. Thank you for delivering a championship to what at the time, was a young, naive baseball fan.
I wish you and your family all the best.
Hi, “Kid” Gary Carter: My thoughts are with you as you go thru this brave battle. I’m a 9 yr cancer survivor and wish you all the best. The ’86 Mets were a very special team and even though I was going thru a bad time at college when you guys won, all of you left an indelible mark on Mets History. I heard you were a very nice person on and off the field, and that is worth a lot too. So, stay strong and be positive, Mets fans everywhere love what the “kid” and his team did for us 25 yrs ago, it’s just another challenge.
Liz
Rooting for ya, Gary! Get better soon! You can beat this thing if you keep the faith. You have a ton of fans and we all are praying for you! – Linda in West Babylon, NY
Dear Mr. Carter,
Through the years of being a baseball fan I have been introduced to baseball and Mets heros. Even though i wasnt alive to see you play, it is safe to say that you are a roll model for all Mets fans and myself, as I play baseball as well. My prayers, along with many others, are with you as you face this stage in your life. Look at it as a fastball on the outside corner. It may be a pain in the butt to hit but knowing the type of person you are, you can manage.
Get well soon,
Greg C.
Gary Carter,
You inspired me in 1986 as I was a 24 year old structural engineer working in Times Square. You were upbeat, a character trait of joy. I was in a deep hole, but the Mets gave me some sunshine in a tough time. I met Christ then, for the first time and moved back to Tennessee. I remember your testimony. I remember your clutch hits and never giving up. I now pray for you and know that your testimony has not returned to Him void. Look to Him who gives peace beyond all understanding.
Love you, Kid. I am sending every bit of good karma I have your way. GET WELL SOON!!!
Gary Carter, thank you for being my first sports hero. You’re a man of great character, a real gentleman, and a smiling optimist. THANK YOU.
Gary,
Be strong. Mets fans (and former Expos fans!) are thinking of you!
Gary G
Praying for you and your family!
In Jan. 1986, at age 17, I had just completed a sad year of watching my dad deal with the same dreaded tumor. I’ve never been able to erase those memories. I guess it was all too powerful! It’s an a mark on my mind that I carry with me.
I recently reached his age at that time; I’ve been able to enjoy my life and travel more than he ever did! I have so much to appreciate; I am so thankful!
Whenever someone gets this disease, it impacts me: Ted Kennedy.
In Oct 1986, you led the Mets on that memorable journey. So many people at Rutgers enjoyed the Mets run to victory. (I was loyal to that other team; Phil Rizzuto was my TV uncle in those days. Holy cow! He was so entertaining; I’m glad I got to meet him in 1988.)
In Oct. 1986, I went to my first Billy Joel concert at MSG, the night the Mets beat Houston to head to World Series. Fun memory! Mr. Joel is a musical genius! A treasure from Long Island.
Months earlier, days after KC Royals manager Dick Howser, managed the AL in the 1986 all-star game, he was diagnosed with the same dreaded tumor.
The grace and power of baseball has always been a wonderful entertainment for me to escape the painful memories in life.
Two weeks ago, I took in my first Pirates game in Pittsburgh; the Pitt faithful finally have a team with a winning record; I visited the site of Forbes field (now part of Univ. of Pitt.) where they maintained the left field wall and met a guy walking his dog, who remembers meeting Roberto Clemente in the 70s, as Roberto was visiting teh field one more time before they would tear it down.
One of my fraternity brothers actually dealt with this same disease at age 33.
Thank you for this forum to share these happy and sad memories from 25 years ago!
Blessings to you: May all your days be full of goodness and appreciation for all your gifts. Wishing you and your family strength and peace at this challenging time!
May all your fans prayers be translated to a great miracle in your life.
Speedy recovery,
JK
Dear Gary,
I must’ve watched that footage of you and Orosco and the ’86 Mets celebrating a thousand times, over and over when I was seven years old. I cut out the page from the Daily News and brought it to second-grade show-and-tell the next day. And I became a lifelong fan watching you and that team. I remember trading like five other baseball cards for one of yours, and my favorite colors are still orange and blue. You always looked like you were having fun out there, and you brought a lot of joy to a lot of kids like me. God bless you!
Gary, you are the reason I watched Baseball when I was a kid. You were honest and true everytime you came to the plate to bat or to catch. You were the quiet, modest one whom people loved to gravitate to you. I pray that the Good Lord will lay his healing hands upon you and give you and your family the strength and courage to face this opponent. Thank You and God Bless you!
Gary, you’re one of the main reasons I became a baseball fan. Watching you and your fellow Mets play during the 80’s brought me so much joy and excitement that I was motivated to learn the rules of baseball and first started to follow the sport. I still remember when you hit your 300th home run — I was 11 and I called my older brother who was living in Rhode Island for the summer to tell him. He was 19 and he was just as excited about it! We’re all pulling for you, and wishing you a full recovery and all the best, from the bottom of our hearts. Get well soon, Gary!
Your talents put you in an position to touch an extraordinary number of people in powerful ways. Reading these posts show how well you have done this, and I am sure that these examples just scratch the surface.
How many people like you, Hall of Famers or the equivalent in their field, can say that their legacy as a human outshines their career accomplishments? I pray that you will be given the chance to continue to build on your legacy and impact others’ lives for a long time.
My prayers to and your family for strength and courage.
Mark from Queens
Dear Gary,
My entire family are huge met fans and we’ve always been inspired by your incredible spirit that never quit. I want you to know you are in our thoughts and prayers. Speedy recovery Kid.
The Shanahan Family
Your spirit and inspiration have always been a part of the Mets legend. I was thrilled to cheer you on when you played for the Mets during those memorable years, and my family and I will cheer you on as you battle this horrific disease. May God bless you and your family and keep you strong! You will always be one of our favorite Mets, Gary!
Dear Gary,
As many young baseball fans in the province of Quebec in the 1980s, you were my favorite player. I was so proud that I once wore my number 8 Expos sweater for the school picture! Needless to say, your trade to the New York Mets was not well received, but at least you ended your career in Montreal. I was at the Olympic Stadium when you got your last hit, a double over the head of your former teammate Andre Dawson. I was sad to learn that you are sick and I hope you’ll get well. Bonne chance (good luck), le Kid!
THE KID,
You continue to be in my prayers everyday. Keep fighting!
If you fight as hard as you played, this illness has no chance.
You were and still continue to be an role model for all the Mets fans.
Get well soon! God Bless, seen you soon at Citi Field
Kid-
I hope you get better soon!!!! You were my idol growing up, i now coach several select teams and have even purchased the Akadema glove you recommended for my son, who is a select team catcher.
In my office at home, I have a signed photo you sent me after I contacted the Mets back in ’86. Thank you for that and i wish you a speedy recovery- you have always been a class act and the baseball community is better because of you and your efforts!
Gary,
My entire family are Mets fans and Gary Carter fans for life. I remember being about 15 yrs old watching those great 1986 players do the impossible that year. And now you will make the greatest comeback ever here. God Bless you! We’re all praying for you!
The Rocco Family 🙂